Chartism

• Who drafted the proposed Reform Bill based on the People's Charter?

  Lovett and Place
• What was the plan for the proposed Reform Bill?

  To get Parliament to adopt the six points
• What were the six points of the People's Charter?

  • Universal manhood suffrage
  • Vote by secret ballot
  • Annual parliaments
  • Equal electoral districts
  • Abolition of property qualification for MPs
  • Payment for MPs
• What was the age requirement for universal manhood suffrage?

  21 years of age
• Why was the vote by secret ballot important?

  To prevent pressure from landlords or employers
• What was the purpose of equal electoral districts?

  To ensure constituencies had similar elector numbers
• How often were general elections proposed to take place?

  Every year
• What did the abolition of the property qualification for MPs mean?

  Anyone could become a parliamentary candidate
• Why was payment for MPs significant?

  It allowed working men to serve as MPs
• How long did Chartism attract support from working people?

  Over ten years
• What was the first petition's signature count by 1839?

  1. 25 million signatures
• What happened to the first petition presented to Parliament in July 1839?

  It was overwhelmingly rejected
• How were signatures collected for the petition?

  At mass meetings across the country
• What was the response if the petition was rejected?

  A "Sacred Month" or general strike was called
• What was the outcome of the "Sacred Month" strike?

  Support was patchy and it was called off
• How many people attended the large meetings in Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds?

  200,000 people
• What role did the Chartist press play in the movement?

  It helped organize and publicize meetings
• How many copies of the Northern Star were sold weekly by 1839?

  50,000 copies
• What did the national convention claim to represent?

  All the people, unlike Parliament
• What was the result of the petition presented to Parliament in July 1839?

  Rejected by 235 votes to 46
• What leadership divisions emerged among the Chartists?

  Between physical force and moral force Chartists
• What did Attwood say about bloodshed?

  No blood shall be shed by us
• What slogan summed up the idea of defensive violence?

  Peacefully if we can, forcefully if we must
• What event led to a fortnight of rioting in Birmingham?

  Police broke up a peaceful Chartist meeting
• Who led the march on Newport in November 1839?

  John Frost
• What was the goal of the Newport march?

  To free Henry Vincent from jail
• How many Chartists were killed during the Newport uprising?

  About 20 Chartists
• What weapons did many of the 4,000 Chartists carry?

  Pikes, guns, or wooden clubs
• What was the result of the Newport uprising for Chartist leaders?

  More leaders were arrested by authorities
• How many signatures were collected for the second petition in 1842?

  About 3.4 million signatures
• What followed the rejection of the second petition?

  The 'Plug Plot' Riots occurred
• How many troops were deployed in the north during the disturbances?

  6,000 troops
• Who led the troops deployed in the north?

  General Napier
• What was the authorities' response to Chartist disturbances?

  Troops were rushed to trouble spots
• How many people were put on trial for Chartist-related offences by the end of 1842?

  About 1,500 people
• What happened to 79 strikers during the disturbances?

  They were transported to Australia
• Who was the only Chartist elected to Parliament in 1847?

  Feargus O'Connor
• What inspired the third Chartist petition in 1848?

  O'Connor's election to Parliament
• What was planned for the mass meeting on Kennington Common?

  To deliver the petition after the meeting
• How many signatures were collected for the third petition?

  5 million signatures